'Residents won't be safe:' Union pres. worried about fire cuts

Fire officials announced the effects Cincinnati residents may feel if nearly 120 firefighters are cut to help balance the Cincinnati city budget.

City Council members said they are looking to cut the police and fire funds to account for a $35 million shortfall. Cincinnati Fire Union President Matt Alter said the large reduction means his crews will lose about 40 recruits and 80 full-time firefighters. He said it will add to the four to five companies already browned out each week because of previous budget woes.

"We're being told another 13 to 16 on top of that would be cut, so you're looking at a 40 to 50 percent reduction in your fire companies in the city of Cincinnati,” said Alter.

City Council members referred to the parking deal as “Plan A” and with that on hold, they said they’re moving to “Plan B” with the police and fire layoffs.

“We are told everybody is on the table. Every firehouse in the city of Cincinnati is on the table,” said Alter. “Everyone's going to feel the pain. When you cut half of your fire companies, every citizen, every firefighter, every community is going to be impacted by this."

Firefighters indicated that with the lights being shut off in several firehouses, residents will see longer response times. They said every 30 to 60 seconds, the size of a fire doubles. Alter said safety of residents may be effected.

The fire chief said no cuts are definite, but as a plan of where to cut begins to take shape, the first firehouses to be indicated for closure are Clifton (Engine 34), Hyde Park (Engine 46), Over-The-Rhine (Engine 5) and Riverside/Sedamsville (Engine 37).

"If these cuts go through, no, residents won't be safe," Alter said.

Copyright 2013 byWLWT.comAll rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Comments

The views expressed are not those of this site, this station or its affiliated companies. By posting your comments you agree to accept our terms of use.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said Sunday it was "very alarmed" by reports of widespread doping by track and field athletes in major competitions including the Olympic Games and world championships.

The Obama administration will unveil a major climate change plan Monday aimed at a large reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the nation's coal-burning power plants, a senior administration official told CNN.

As top GOP presidential candidates arrived at a hotel here to court the influential donors of the Koch network, Charles Koch called on retreat attendees to unite with him in a campaign against "corporate welfare" and "irresponsible spending" by both ...